Benue singer framed for murder released after SUNDAY PUNCH report

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Gbenga Adeniji

The joy of the Edwards knew no bounds on June 30 as their son, John Edward, otherwise called Inas, who had been arraigned for murder and robbery, was released on bail.

He is from Adoka in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

SUNDAY PUNCH had exclusively reported on June 19 that the up-and-coming musician was framed for murder and robbery by the Benue State Police Command while he was trying to retrieve his BlackBerry Z30 phone seized by a policeman.

Investigations showed that the singer was arrested along the University of Agriculture Road in the North Bank area of Makurdi by police officers from Division C while he was returning home after a video shoot on the night of Wednesday, June 1, 2016.

After two days in police custody, he was granted bail after his family members and friends paid the sum of N20,000. But he was asked to return the next day, Saturday, to collect his phone because the officer, nicknamed ‘magistrate,’ who was in possession of the phone, was not in the station at the time.

It was gathered that on returning the next day, the policeman was said to have told Edward not to disturb him about the phone, threatening to re-arrest him if he did.

He allegedly joined him with two others who had earlier been arrested and charged them with culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy.

One of the musician’s relative, Mrs. Patricia Mohammed, told SUNDAY PUNCH that Edward is the fourth in a family of eight.

She said, ‘‘I know my brother cannot commit the crimes he was accused of. Even the music he does, I am still surprised because he is a reserved person. He hardly talks. He listens more than he talks.’’

Also, the music producer and video director identified as Johnicks, who handled the said video shoot on the day Edward was arrested by the police, was glad about his release.

The 23-year-old singer, who spoke with our correspondent on Saturday, was full of joy.

He said, ‘‘I have yet to know why the policeman exchanged my freedom for a mere phone. I have never in my life committed a criminal act let murder or steal. I learnt a bitter lesson the hard way. I now pray harder and more closer to God. The prison opened my eyes to many things. I saw humiliation and maltreatment boldly.’’

Edward, who just graduated from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi where he studied Zoology, hoped that that the case would eventually be dismissed by the court.

Earlier, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benue State Police Command, Moses Yamu, has told SUNDAY PUNCH that the then Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, ordered the command to re-investigate the case when Edward’s friends and family members lodged a complaint through the Complaint Response Unit that he was wrongfully charged.

 CREDIT: PUNCH NG